Reel



H. J. HOGUE 2 REEL Filed Feb. 4, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \HHHHHHHH I w 8%.QM. M. M 1 Q P E w E: m r N NM k QM ORNEYB Filed Feb. 4, 1938 H. J.HOGUE 2,202,204

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4? 1957?? J #0005 ATTORNEYS Patented Maya,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Henry J. llogue, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor ofone-third to Charles L. Wasmer and one-third to John C. Wasmer, both ofLakewood, Ohio Application February 4. 1938, Serial No. 188,716

9 Claims. (Cl. 242-128) This invention relates-to reeling, and moreparticularly to a novel method and apparatus; for continuously supplyingwire or bar stock to a .header or other fabricating machine from abundle or coil of such stock.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel method of reeling bywhich successive coils of stock can be brought to the unwinding positionand the leading end of each succeeding coil connected to the taii end ofthe preceding coil so that the stock can be supplied continuously andwithout interruption to a fabricating machine or the like. v J

Another object of my invention is to provide improved reeling apparatusfor carrying out themethod just referred to.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved stock reelembodying a strand guidin'g means of novel arrangement and construction.

My invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certainnovel steps of. procedure, combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of'drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevationshowing reeling apparatus constructed according to my invention andwhich may be used in carrying out my novel Fig. 2 is a front viewthereof looking in the direction indicated by line 2-1 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the ree las indicatedby line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig'. 4..is an enlarged partial sectional view taken through a portionof the mount forthe rotatable strand guiding means, as indicated by line4-4 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 is a partial rear elevation looking toward aportion of the apparatus as'indicated by line 55 of Fig. 4.

Further reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings for amore detailed description'of my improved reeling apparatus and method,but it should be understood that my invention may be embodied in variousother forms 0'! similar apparatus, and that my reeling method Figs. 1and 2, may comprise a frame or mount l0 having rotatable strand guidingmeans It thereon, and a plurality of coilsupports l2 and Ma which areadapted to be advanced, in succession, into an unwinding positionadjacent the frame adjacent the rear end of whereby a continuous strandof bar or wire stock S can be-unwound from the coils l3 and Na andsupplied to a header or other fabricating machine IS withoutinterruption. The supports l2 and l2a. may be of any appropriate type orconstruction but are preferably vehicular in character and, without anylimiting intent, may 'be conveniently referred to as trucksBi Animportant feature of my invention provides .for moving the truck I! awayfrom the unwinding position after unwinding of its coil, preferablythough not necessarily by moving this truck past the frame I0 and in thedirection of travel of the stock. As contemplated by my method, thetruck Ho and its coil l3a may be moved to a position adjacent the truckl2 and, while the coil I3 is thefloor "and an upper or ring portion l8providing a mount for the rotatable strand guiding means II. The ringportion may-have a relatively large opening Ilia in or adjacent whichthe strand guiding means may be mounted. The lower or base portion 16may be constructed with laterally spaced legs l9,so as to provide theframe with an opening 20 of a height and width to permit the freepassage of the coil-supporting trucks been removed. k

Each of the trucksmay be in the nature of a lowvehicle having asubstantially flat body or platform 2| upon which the coil of stock mayrest and apair of wheels 22 at one or both ends -'to facilitate movementof the t'ruck to andfrom wheels, so that the truck will have lesstendency for accidental rolling or shifting away from the desiredunwinding position. The body of the truck may have a transverse member25 mounted I2 and In in succession after their coils have thereonadjacent its forward end which 'is adapted to serve as'a stop orretaining memberv to be engaged'by the lower portion of the forward endof the coil l3 for retaining .the latter in an upright or relativelyinclined position as shown I in Fig. l. a

Each truck may also be provided with an upright handle 26 which ispreferably mounted the truck and may be formed by bending a pipe or barto substantially the form shown in Fig. 2. The handle 26 may be mountedon the truck by having its ends received in openings or sockets 21 whichmay be located adjacent the rear end of the body 2|. This handlefacilitates the operation of moving the trucks to and from the unwindingposition, and also serves as a. rest against which the coil I3 may lean,as shown in Fig. 1. The handle 26 is removable from the truck I2, as bylifting out of the sockets 21, so that the truck can be moved throughthe frame opening after the coil I3 has been unwound. I

The strand guiding means II, through which the stock S may be drawnwhile being unwound from the coil I3, may comprise a plate or spider 30which is supported for relatively free rotation in front of the circularopening I8a of the -ring portion I8 of the frame. The supporting meansfor the spider. 30 maycoinprise a plurality of grooved rollers 3| whichare mounted on the ring portion I8 at circumferentially spaced points'thereof andfin which the beveled continuous outer edge-or rim 32 of thespider engages. The.

' rollers 3| may be mounted on the ring portion in,

various ways, for example, a suitable spindlecar-ryin'g bracket 34 may.be provided for each roller and may be clamped against the ring portionby screws 35. Each roller may have a pair of anti-friction be rings 36therein for mounting it on the spindle and mayhave suitable packings 38for retaining lubricant in the bearings and excluding dust therefrom.

The rollers maybe arranged in pairs, asshown in Fig. 2, with thebrackets of the lower pair of rollers more or less permanently connectedto the adjustment of .the' brackets for the upper pair. of rollers, thering portion may have radially extending slots 3! and .40 through whichthe screws and the spindle 31 extend, respectively, and may also havesetscrews 4| which engage the spindle.

To facilitate passage of the stock S through the spider ll I provide thelatter with a sheaveor roller 43 which is adapted to be engaged by thestock. This roller may be mounted on the spider in any suitable manner,for example, it may be convolutions of the coil II as the strand ispulled therefrom, I may provide a drum 4! which extends rearwardly fromthe spider 30 and into the center opening-ofthe coil. This drummay be oflength to extend entirely through the coil. The

hollow sheet metal construction, as shown in Fig. 3', and may be oftapered form and of a drum is carried by the spider andis rotatablypurpose I provide a spindle 46 which is mounted in the central hubportion 41 of the spider, as by means of the pin 48, and extendsrearwardly therefrom. The drum 4! may be mounted on they spindle 4G bymeans of longitudinally spaced antifriction bearings 49 with which acentralsleeve or hub 50 of the drum cooperates.

To facilitate the handling of the coils and the unwinding of the stocktherefrom, it is desirable -or through the coil. As the stock is pulledfrom tion axis of the spider, the stock causes the spider stock will be.unwound ,into position adjacent the truck I 2 and the tail .5 fduced toa relatively few convolutions, the hanto place the coils on the trucksso that they lean against the handles 26. In order to have the drumenter the relatively inclined coil I3 when the latter is brought to theunwinding position, I prefer to. arrange the drum so that its spindle 646 and rotation axis extend downward and rear ward from the frame III atapproximately the same angle as that at which the coil leans. Inobtaining this inclined position for the drum, I find it desirable toconstruct the frame l0 so that it inclines rearwardly because thispermits the drum to be mounted with its spindle and rotation axisextending rearwardly substantially normal tov the plane in which thespider 30 of the stock guiding means operates;

In the operation of my improved reeling apparatus, the truck I2, havingthe coil I3 thereon, is moved to the unwinding position at the rear ofthe frame ill, with the drum 45 extending into the coil l3 by thefabricating machine l5, it passes through the spider 30 in engagementwith the rolleror sheave 43, and, because of the eccentric position'ofthis sheave with respect to the rotato rotate in the mounting rollers3|. Any tendency for the convolutions of the coil to collapseorjpull-tight will result in such convolutions engaging the surface ofthe drum 45 and this will merely cause rotation of the drum whereby thewithout kinking or tangling thereof. f While the coil I3 is beingunwound, a second truck I2a with a coil I3a. thereon may be brought end5| of the coil Iii-may be connected with the leading end 52 of the coilI3a by a suitable weld When the coil I3 has been used up or redle 26 isremoved and. the empty truck I2 is then pushed through the frame opening20 either as a separate operation or by the act of advancing -.the truckI2a and its coil I3a to the unwinding position. During the unwinding ofthe coil Ila} another truck with a coil thereon is brought to the pistonpreviously occupied by the truck Ila, and the operation of connectingthe tail end of the coil with the leading end of the new coil isrepeated.- In'this way, coil after coil can be conveniently brought tothe reeling apparatus and without interruption and without kinking ofthe stock.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will now bereadily seen that I .have provided a novel reeling apparatus wherebycoils of stock can be unwound in succession wlthout kinking or tangling.It will also be seen that my apparatus and method provide'for: the pas-.sage of the empty trucks through an opening of the frame and theadvancing of loaded trucks in succession to bring each succeeding coilto a position to be tacked onto the end of the coil being unwound,whereby a continuous supply of stock is made available and interruptionsin the operation of a header or other fabricating machine are avoided.

While I' have illustrated and described my improved reeling apparatusand method in a some- 7 40 can be supplied tothe fabricating machine Iiconstitute a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a frame, a vehicular supportadapted to receive a coil of stock thereon and movable over a floor to aposition adjacent the frame, and means rotatable on said frame on anaxis substantially coaxial with the coil for guiding the stock beingunwound from said coil, said frame having an arched portion providingadjacent the floor an opening of a size to permit passage of thevehicular support after unwinding of the coil.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a frame having rotary stockguiding means thereon, a rotatably mounted drum projecting from saidframe with its rotation axis extending rearwardly and downwardly fromthe frame, and means for non-rotatably supporting a coil of stock ininclined relation with its convolutions surrounding the drum.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a frame, a memberperipherally supported for rotation relative to the frame and having aneccentrically disposed stock-engaging roller thereon, a drum mounted forrotation with its axis extending rearwardly and downwardly relative tothe upright frame inclined rearwardly from a vertical plane and havingrotary stock guiding means thereon, a rotatably mounted tapered drumextending rearwardly and downwardly relative to the frame with itsrotation axis substantially normal to the plane of said rotary guidingmeans,

and means for non-rotatably supporting a coil of stock in rearwardlyinclined relation with its convolutions surrounding the drum.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a

' frame, a rotatable member peripherally supported on said frame andhaving guide means engaged by the stock being unwound from a coil on theapparatus, the axis of rotation of said member extending in the generaldirection of movement of the stock from said coil, a drum carried byporting a. coil of stock so that it surrounds said.

drum, said frame and the coil supporting means being such that thelatter may be moved in the general direction of travel of the stock andpast bottom thereof, a support movable to a position adjacent the frameand being adapted to non-, rotatably support a coil of stock, and asecond support movable to a position adjacent the first support andadapted to non-rotatably support a second coil of stock in position forconnection with the end of the first coil, said first support beingmovable through the frame opening after unwinding of its coil to permitthe second support to be advanced with its coil.

8. The method of reeling which comprises mov-, ing a support with a coilthereon to an unwinding position adjacent a frame having stock guidingmeans thereon and an-opening of a size to permit passage of saidsupport, unwinding the coil by pulling the stock through said guidingmeans, and moving a second support with a coil thereon to the unwindingposition and in the same operation pushing the first support through theframe opening."

9. The method of reeling which comprises moving a support with a coilthereon to an unwinding position adjacent a frame having stock guidingmeans thereon and an opening of a size to permit passage of said,support, moving a second support with a coil thereon to a position adja:cent the first support and connecting the tail end of the first coil tothe leading end of the second coil, unwinding the first coil by pullingthe stock through said guiding means, and moving the first supportthrough the frame opening after unwinding of its coil and advancing thesecond support and its coil to the unwinding position.

' HENRY J. HOGUE. 6o

